Hurricane Sandy: Salem County declares state of emergency, prepares for the worst

Salem County Department of Emergency Services Director Jeff Pompper, second from left, briefs Salem County freeholders and department heads Friday afternoon on the progress of preparations for Hurricane Sandy.Staff Photo by Bill Gallo Jr.

SALEM — Salem County officials declared a state of emergency Friday in preparation for the arrival of Hurricane Sandy, which officials said could potentially be one of the worst storms the county has ever seen.

“The potential impact to Salem County is increasing with each update we receive,” said Salem County Emergency Management Coordinator Jeffrey Pompper on Friday. “Right now the track of the storm stands right up the Delaware Bay, which has always been one of our worst-case scenarios for emergency planning.”

If it stays on its current course, Sandy is expected to produce widespread damage in the county.

Flooding is expected which could lead to evacuations.

Residents are expected to receive calls from the Emergency Management Department advising those in low-lying, flood-prone areas to voluntarily evacuate ahead of the storm. Mandatory evacuations could also come.

The first effects of the storm are expected in the county late Sunday with the worst Monday into Tuesday, but officials here are already well under way with emergency planning.

Sandy has already caused death and destruction in the Caribbean and is now moving up the East Coast. A Category 1 hurricane with winds just over 74 mph Friday, it is expected to strengthen before making a left turn and slamming ashore.

Forecasting models have increasingly pointed to a direct hit along Jersey Shore or possibly moving up the Delaware Bay still as a hurricane. If the forecast holds, Sandy is expected to cause significant damage along its path with flooding and high winds, and will challenge the resources not only in Salem County, but the entire state, officials said.

Salem County could experience sustained tropical storm force winds lasting for approximately 24 hours. At least seven inches of rain is also expected to fall in the county over the course of the storm, which officials said is slow-moving and expected to last into Tuesday.

Pompper said current forecasts provided by the National Weather Service also predict the hurricane — in combination with a full moon scheduled for Monday — could push the tide of the Delaware River and bay up to a 10-foot storm tide, which may not subside for several days. By comparison, a 10-foot tide would bring water levels a foot higher than the county experienced last year during the storm events preceding Hurricane Irene.

“We’re hearing that it could enter the Delaware Bay as a hurricane, not even just as tropical storm. Last year Irene was generally referred to as a hurricane, but really it hit New Jersey as a tropical storm,” Pompper said. “Generally you don’t see hurricanes hit New Jersey like this.”

To allow emergency officials to begin taking the necessary precautions to prepare for Hurricane Sandy, the Salem County freeholders on Friday declared a state of emergency for the county.

The state of emergency grants power and authority to government officials to protect the safety of the public by enacting certain regulations or requirements as they become necessary.

Future restrictions as the storm moves into the county could include travel restrictions.

Those who experienced flooding during last year’s storm events are advised to expect flooding again of a similar amount or more, said Pompper.

Also, while the previous events targeted certain areas of the county, Pompper stressed that Hurricane Sandy will likely impact the entire county “across the board in all areas.”

The Public Works Department has begun taking precautionary measures, such as drawing down county lakes by opening flood gates to allow the bodies of water to absorb more of the predicted runoff and prevent overflow and dam breaks.

“The Public Works Department is taking precautionary measures including ensuring drainage areas are clear, lifting flood gates on dams and readying personnel and equipment for response during the event,” said Deputy Freeholder Director Ben Laury, chairman of the Public Works Committee.

“Our first priority is the safety of our residents and our employees. As soon as it is determined safe for our manpower to be on the road we will bring our full resources to bear for debris removal, clearing roads and returning the county to normal.”

The county’s Emergency Operations Center will open Sunday at the Department of Emergency Management headquarters in Mannington. Cots are being brought so staff can sleep when not on duty and stay through the storm.

The Carneys Point Care Center on the Delaware River in Carneys Point plans to evacuate its 100-plus residents to other nursing home.

Officials said contingency plans are also in place to evacuate the 350-plus inmates at the Salem County Correctional Facility in Mannington if needed.

At the PSEG Nuclear generating station in Lower Alloways Creek near where the Delaware Bay an Delaware River meet, operators are keeping a close watch on the storm. An extraordinary rise in the water levels around Artificial Island or sustained winds of 74 mph could cause the showdown of the nuclear reactors there.

Public school officials will meet over the weekend to assess the storm and decide whether the closing of county schools is warranted because of the weather.

Residents are also being urged to prepare for possible power outages by having food and water on hand.

Also in an effort to assist with public awareness and provide residents with the most current information, the Salem County Office of Emergency Management has created a website: www.readysalem.org

Through this website, the public will be able to access situation updates as they are received, sign up for emergency notification messages, access the emergency management Facebook and Twitter sites, and find helpful links to preparedness tools.

The website will include links to many valuable state and national resources for staying informed and being properly prepared. Residents are asked to please utilize this information tool and avoid calling 911 for non-emergency events.

The OEM is also working with the American Red Cross South Jersey Chapter, Salem County CERT and area partners to determine locations for shelters if needed.

Pompper said Salem Community College is planned to be utilized as the main shelter, but additional shelters may be opened if the need emerges.

More than anything, Pompper said residents are urged to follow instructions as given for their own safety.

“Our residents need to please follow directions as given. We are urging them to follow instructions,” said Pompper. “Please stay off the roadways once the storm events begin and never drive through standing water.”

Additional updates will be provided to the public as they become available at www.nj.com/south and www.readysalem.org.